By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Northborough – Wade and Nancy Robbins have been attending Trinity Church since 1988, becoming members in 1990. For Wade Robbins, who serves as a deacon, the church offers ample opportunities for fellowship both in church as well as out. Not only does he organize movie nights, Worcester Bravehearts baseball outings, and Opera Club events at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, but he also spearheaded and leads a Saturday morning hiking program.
“My dog, Schatze, and I were hiking every Saturday morning,” Robbins said, “and I thought that somebody else might need a little encouragement and may also enjoy our hikes.”
Robbins and his weekly group of up to eight hikers blaze one of the nine Northborough hiking trails: Carlstrom II Forest, Carney Park/Cold Harbor, Coyote Trail, Edmund Hill Woods, Little Chauncy/Cedar Hill, Mount Pisgah, Stirrup Brook, Watson Park and Yelick Conservation Area. Most of the trails are around three miles long, though the distance varies from less than two miles to about five-and-a-half miles. For the longest trail, Robbins said, some hikers park their car and hike half the distance.
“The trails in Northborough are unique in that the longer ones are flat and the shorter ones usually have slightly challenging slopes,” Robbins said. “We take pride as a group to slow down to accommodate all participants.”
For Robbins, the weekly hikes allow him an opportunity to connect with nature and people.
“Besides the exercise and the enjoyment of nature – forests, streams and fresh air – the conversation and fellowship with my fellow hikers is the real magnet from week to week,” he said. “It has been my intention that the hiking group not be one additional thing on people's calendars and to-do lists, but a chance to put the calendars and to-do lists away. I look forward to getting to know my friends a little better each week or make new friends as we share our hiking time.”
Hikers meet at Trinity Church on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and return at about 11:30 a.m. Mid-week emails are sent to announce the start time and trail for the upcoming Saturday hike. The group plans to continue the weekly hikes through October.
Anyone interested in joining the email list is asked to contact Robbins at [email protected] ?or, for more information, call 508-393-2512.
To learn more about the Northborough hiking trails, visit http://northboroughtrails.org.
